Keep Your Food Safe This Holiday Weekend
FRANKFORT, KY (July 1, 2010) – With the July 4 holiday coming up, it’s time for cookouts, picnics and eating outdoors. The Kentucky Department for Public Health’s Food Safety Branch is reminding cooks to follow the basic principles of food safety this holiday weekend to avoid foodborne illness.
“The key to food protection is simple: Keep hot food hot, and keep cold food cold,” said Christine Atkinson, food safety branch manager.
Public health recommends that these food safety guidelines are followed to help prevent illness from improperly prepared, cooked or stored foods;
− Wash your hands before and after handling food. Be sure all utensils and plates are clean.
− To sanitize surfaces, use a solution of regular household bleach and warm water.
− Separate raw foods from ready-to-eat foods. Use different cutting boards or wash, rinse and sanitize after contact with raw meat, poultry and seafood. Never use the same plate to transport the cooked hamburgers that was used for the raw hamburger patties.
− Handle all cut melons carefully, including cantaloupe and watermelon. Thoroughly clean the outer surface before slicing, and keep work surface and utensils used to prepare a melon clean and sanitized.
− Use the refrigerator for thawing or thaw under cool running water. You may use the microwave for thawing, but grill immediately. Always marinate meats in the refrigerator.
− Use a meat thermometer to check for the following internal meat temperatures:
Poultry 165 degrees Fahrenheit
Red meat 160 F
Pork 160 F
Fish 160 F
− Refrigerate meat and poultry until ready for use. After cooking meat and poultry on the grill, keep it at 135 degrees F or warmer.
− Refrigerate any leftovers promptly in shallow containers.
− Within two hours cool and maintain leftovers at 41 F or lower or freeze at zero degrees or lower.
